Travel with pets has grown considerably in the last few years. A recent 2023 Rover survey found that 38% of pet parents are bringing their pet along for holiday travel. And of the 1,000 pet parents surveyed, 67% say they experience holiday travel stress. If you’re worried about your pet’s comfort while traveling, you’re not alone.
In response to this, many pet-friendly hotels are now offering pet perks, from grassy relief areas to food and water bowls. Some luxury hotels even offer amenities such as dog walking, day care, and pet-friendly activity planning. These amenities are a large sign of how the travel industry is adapting to our multi-species families.
This travel trend also speaks to another truth: Our dogs often feel happiest when we can stay together. But when together includes a turbulent plane ride or long road trip, some pets are happier at home.
Here’s how to plan your pet’s holiday experience.
Treat Your Pet Like a V.I.P Travel Companion
Even though your dog can’t weigh in on the itinerary, it’s important to take their needs into consideration.
1. Look for the nearest vet or emergency pet clinic in your destination
Save your dog’s info in an app or email that details their vaccination records, medicine requirements, and last known dates for flea, heartworm, and tick meds.
Before Tennille Teague, founder of pet accessory and apparel company Just Fred, travels anywhere with her 11-year-old Chihuahua mix, Rizzo, she finds information for a nearby vet that offers 24-hour care. Dogs can pick up bacteria or viruses in new places, so this is important planning!
2. Bring your dog’s comfort items
Teague makes sure Rizzo has a soft blanket to snuggle with in his carrier. Rizzo always travels in the same carrier, which provides consistency. “It’s key to him feeling safe and confident in his new environment,” she said.
3. Pre-arrange dog care on location
During holiday travels, your dog may not get as much attention as they’re used to. Teague makes sure to line up people who could check on Rizzo and take him for a walk. “I’ve used hotel dog services for about ten years,” she said in an email.
If you have an annual vacation spot, consider booking the same pet sitter or dog walker each year. For Teague, the hotel she frequents with Rizzo, Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, always connected her with vetted people to look after her pets.
“When I returned six months or a year later, they already knew everything about my dog and what was important to me,” she noted. (Check our tips for taking dogs to a hotel to make sure your dog is comfortable.)
How to Figure Out if Your Dog is a Good Traveler
1. Consider where your dog is most happy and comfortable
It’s okay if your dog travels well in certain situations and not others. Most owners have a sense for whether their dogs are a good candidate for travel. Your dog might love a roadtrip to visit family where there’s a big yard but not enjoy being left at a hotel while you’re sightseeing.
2. Compare your travel itinerary with your dog’s normal routine
“When thinking about whether or not to bring your dog, you need to think about your individual dog’s needs and temperament,” says Karishma Warr, head of training at Calm Canine Academy.
“Many dogs are not appropriate travel companions and many travel itineraries are not safe or canine-friendly,” Warr added. Reactive dogs might be happier staying home with a petsitter or in a kennel they know well.
3. Be real about how flexible or adaptable your dog is
While keeping the canine-human pack together for an adventure can be fun, it’s okay to say your dog should sit this trip out if it’ll be stressful (or not fun) for them to come along. Warr explained that the environmental changes, routine disruption, and new sights and smells of travel can be overwhelming for some dogs.
4. Listen to your dog’s behaviors outside the home
Some signs of stress are obvious in dogs, says Warr. They list whining, barking, growling, excessive planting, difficulty settling, hyper-vigilance, and general anxiety as more obvious signs.
Others might be more subtle, like out-of-character “naughty behaviors”, obsessive behaviors, or shutting down (like a dog who stops playing and eating though otherwise seems normal).
Tips to Ease Travel for You and Your Dog
“For some dogs, traveling is a very beneficial and enriching experience,” Warr says.
Warr recommends traveling to familiar and/or dog-friendly places, if you’re going to bring your pet. Family homes can become a familiar environment and might be a better fit than a multi-day road trip or new destination every year. Bonus points if your vacation location has a fenced area or nearby park you can bring your dog to.
“Make sure you prioritize meeting your dog’s needs, even during the stress of travel,” Warr says. “They will still need time to run around and just be a dog as well as 16-plus hours of sleep per day.”
In terms of a travel checklist for pets, Warr advises bringing familiar objects like:
- Their favorite beds
- Exciting toys
- A portable crate (especially if they are crate-trained)
- Frozen lickable treats or chews
“So they have consistency in the chaos,” Warr says. A long-duration project like a chew or frozen treat can help distract them during the car ride or calm down at the end of an exciting day.
A Dog’s Preferences Can Be Human-Like
We all have trips and travel styles that are exciting to us and other activities that we’d rather skip. Our canine companions aren’t different. For the most successful travel experience for you and your dog, take their needs and routine into consideration.